Cambion
by literarypun
Summary: I'm not a demigod. In fact, I'm the exact opposite.
1. Chapter 1

**August 18, 2014**

Ro had been at camp for less than year. He'd been found by a satyr who sensed he was 'something else'. Ro sensed the satyr was 'something else', although he attributed that to his awful seen rather than the two hooves he hid. Ro hated that description 'something else'. How vague. The kind of vagueness that landed him in the Hermes cabin, joined by the other kids who didn't exactly know what made them special, just that they _were_ for some reaso.n

The war against Kronos had actually come as a relief. As sick as it sounded, he welcomed the feeling of purpose gave him the ability to ignore the new tendrils of power that threatened to push to the surface. Nightmares of a version of himself with glassy black eyes and a wolffish grin were replaced by dreams of intricate battle plans. Ro hadn't thought about when the war he stood on Thalia's Hill, watching his cabin mates laugh in delight as colorful symbols finally appeared over their heads. No one seemed to noticed the striking absence of a symbol overs own head.

That was the night the demigod were claimed.

That was the night Ro realized he wasn't one of them.

 **Present Day**

Ro slipped into a seat in the massicve lecture hall with a grimace. He always hated school, and couldn't believe he was attending college. _'You're impulsive and careless, Annalise warned,"don't add uneducated to that list."_ As much as he wanted to say not her, he couldn't. Not after all she did for him. He and his mentor met soon after he left camp half blood. She found him lost and hungry on the street and without hesitation gave him food, clothing and housed him. For days he mulled over why the demure, wealthy woman would help him. Ro replayed the conversation they had two years prior in his head:

 _"_ _Why me?" Ro asked_

 _Annalise set down her book and ceremoniously crossed her legs. "Because you and I are alike, in more ways than one."_

 _When Ro gave her a confused look, she continued._

 _"_ _I know that you are not human, you are more. You're a Cambion Ronan— half-human, half-demon. As I am."_

He was snapped out of his reverie by an oversized backpack slapping him in the face. Fresh new anger bloomed and he said bitingly," Hey watch where you're slinging that thing! " The perpetrator, who was now sprawled on the floor,met him with stormy gray eyes and snapped back, "Well maybe if you weren't blocking the aisle, I wouldn't have tripped!" It was true—Ro was by no means shorts long legs stretched the width of the aisle of seats. He heard the conviction in her voice, but sensed the girl's embarrassment. Softening, he lent a hand to help her up. He received a flash of gratitude before her steely gaze returned. Ro noted she wore a necklace with intricate beads that he immediately recognized. _No_ , he thought, _not here_. He was hundreds of miles away from camp half blood. A demigod shouldn't be right in the middle of monster-infested San Francisco.

 _But here she was._

Ro eyed the delicately painted beads and mumbled, "nice necklace." They both felt the room quiet. She smiled easily and replied, while toying with the single bead that hung from his neck,"we match." Her voice sounded bubbly,however her eyes were picking him apart. _She's_ _wondering who I am._ Ro smirked, "I guess we do." The girl only nodded and brushed past him to take her seat towards the end of his row.

The professor droned on about macroeconomics or something, but Ro couldn't focus. He couldn't stop himself from stealing sideways glances at this new half-blood.


	2. Chapter 2

Annabeth was never late. Maybe she spent too much time preparing. _But was there such thing as over-preparing?_ The heavy sag in her backpack and ache in her shoulders answered that question. Sighing, she milled around students to pick a spot towards the middle of the lecture hall. As much as she longed to take a seat in the front row, she couldn't. Attending a mortal university came with inherent risks-standing out too much would prove to be dangerous. Her backpack swayed on her shoulders as she worked her way to the center of the aisle. If any consolation, she would have the clearest view of the board.

Suddenly her foot caught on something and she felt the ground rushing up to meet her, followed by a harsh remark from a male voice. She could almost hear Percy saying, _Way to stay low-key, Wise-Girl_. Instinctively, Annabeth replied with the same amount of venom,although she could feel the blush creeping up her cheeks. Seeing her embarrassment he offered a hand, his dark, hooded eyes staring ruefully. Now that she could get a good look at him-wow, this boy was...golden. Annabeth groaned internally over lack of a better word, but it was true. Although he wore a tattered baseball cap, Honey colored hair poked out from its edges, framing a tanned, sculpted face .He towered over her, but the way his t shirt hugged his biceps suggested he worked out. Dark lashes hid his eyes, which wandered toward her chest.

Anger welled up, and she was ready to knock his lights out, until he said, "nice necklace." To anyone else it would have sounded like a simple compliment, but Annabeth knew better. She looked up to see that he wore a similar leather chord around his neck, but his only held a single bead-one of an intricately painted maze. The Labyrinth. Her mind flooded with a million questions. Not now Annabeth, later. Instead of assaulting him with Who/What/Where, she gave her best valley girl smile and replied, "We match!" The guy returned a dimpled grin and agreed. She nodded and walked to her seat. For once, Annabeth was able to temporarily subdue her natural curiosity. _Just be patient, you'll find out what you need to know in time._

50 minutes later-the end of class-she decided she couldn't wait any longer. Annabeth tapped the unknown half blood on the shoulder. He whipped around defensively, relaxing once he saw it was her.

"Oh, it's you."

Annabeth stammered,"Yeah, Just me! Um, I didn't catch your name." .

The guy held out his hand politely and said, "Ronan. But you can call me Ro. And you are..."

"Annabeth," she said, taking his hand and shaking it firmly. "Well Ro, I think. it's best we stay away from each other. For safety."

Ro chuckled and replied, "You don't sound so sure of yourself."

Her voice had faltered a bit, and she cursed herself for it. Annabeth would have laughed at Ro's teasing if his voice hadn't left her nearly shaking. _Surely this was charm speak. It had to be charm speak._ his smiled widened once he'd seen the  
affect he had on her and he stepped forward.

Ro shrugged. "Fine. Whatever you want. But can you at least answer one question for me?"

Annabeth said curtly,"Shoot."

Ro asked,his voice low,"What did you have me pegged as? An Apollo kid? Demeter? Hermes?"

Annabeth thought about warning him about the power of names, but let it go. Honestly, Ronan's careless good looks and attitude problem screamed Aphrodite. But Hades would freeze over before she admitted that to him.

' _Aphrodite huh? Is that your way of saying you find me attractive, Annabeth?",_ a voice in her head rang out. A voice that wasn't hers.

Annabeth looked up to see Ro's dark eyes watching her amusedly, waiting for the answer he already knew.

Annabeth didn't even realize what she was doing until her hand connected with Ro's cheek.

"Don't you ever-" but Annabeth didn't finish. She couldn't tell him to not do something if she didn't know exactly what it was he did.

She exhaled sharply and pushed past him to leave.


	3. Chapter 3

At first, Ro thought he spoke into Annabeth's mind just to mess with her and show off. But now, as he stood there dumbly touching his cheek, he realized the true reason. He liked her. A world he'd long abandoned stumbled back into his life in the form of a beautiful (albeit difficult) half-blood. And for some reason he didn't want to let go again.

* * *

"I'm home!" Ro called out, not really expecting an answer. Although he technically shared the Victorian town home with Annalise, she much preferred her estate in Napa and was rarely around. _'Too much riff-raff,' she said, winking at him._ She always referred to the monsters of San Francisco as "riff-raff". Ro jumped when he heard a response.

"How is University?" a melodic voice rang.

He looked up to see Annalise descending the stairs.

Ro cleared his throat. "Fine!"

He noticed her overly vibrant tone and slightly more erect posture and knew something was off. Annalise was the head of a powerful Cambion syndicate based in San Fran. She had a trusted circle who usually did a good job of keeping monsters in check and paying off police with especially keen eyes, but sometimes she was forced to take a more hands-on approach when things went awry.

Now Annalise stood in front of him, and raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow.

"You're suspicious as to why I'm here," Annalise said.

It was a statement, not a question. It was strange living with another empath,as well as someone who could match some of his other abilities. It left him exposed, and at times, frustrated. Ro scoffed and stalked toward the kitchen. He sensed Annalise's surprise. Ro had never dared to be so flippant before.

"You're just going to tell me not to get involved, not to..." He didn't finish his sentence. He was going to say _'not to poke around in people's heads'._ Although Ro possessed the unique gift of pulling ideas,images or distinct thoughts from other's minds, he always failed to be presence could always be _felt_. Ro thought of Annabeth and fought a smile.

"Ronan," she said, "You're not ready yet. If you're to be my successor-"

Ro interrupted, "How am supposed to know if I'm ready if you never test me?"

Annalise stepped forward and took his chin in her hand. She replied sharply, her manicured nails digging into his skin, "Don't be insolent. This is not a game, there are no _tests_ , and I cannot afford for you to fail." His head dipped down to meet her icy blue gaze with seething onyx eyes. She dropped her hand, and Ro started for the door. A black pit of anger sat heavy in his chest and he needed to get out. He needn't be angry at Annalise. Not when she was actually right.

"Where are you going?" Annalise asked.

"Bell and Dragon." Ro replied gruffly.

The Bell and Dragon. That was a popular dive bar downtown,a place he knew Annalise wouldn't follow him. A middle aged woman in a designer dress wouldn't exactly fit in with the crowd that was there. Although a few humans frequented the Bell and Dragon,its primary patrons were monsters.

As he shut the door behind him, Ro could feel the worry radiating off his mentor.


	4. Chapter 4

Some would call the fourth-floor apartment on Chestnut Street "cozy". Its creaking wood floor and vintage wallpaper could even warrant a "charming". In reality,at a whopping $900 a month, the tiny dated apartment was all Annabeth could afford. She tossed her backpack on the floor and plopped on the couch next to Jess, her roommate who was currently transfixed in a reality show blaring on their TV. Annabeth let out an audible sigh as she felt her muscles relax. That earned a sideways glance from Jess.

"How was your first day?" she asked.

"Kinda sucked." Annabeth answered, rubbing the back of her neck.

In reality, most of her classes had been a breeze;her professors were fine, and she loved the course material. The thing that truly bothered her was the guy in her Economics class, Ro. She would have been fine if he were just another demigod. She could have dropped the class, kept her distance, and finished the semester without incident. But the way he'd spoken into her mind-as if he were simply talking to her and slipped into another language-left her unsettled. A powerful curiosity burned, and threatened to consume her. She groaned as she realized she couldn't leave him alone until she had all of her questions answered. Suddenly Jess stood and said cheerily, "Well, it's not too late to make it better! I'm going out soon, you have to come with!"

Jess was everything Annabeth was not. Tall and lithe, where Annabeth was short with gentle curves. Peppy and optimistic were Annabeth was ever the skeptic. While it seemed like the two girls would butt heads, the opposite was true. Jess gave Annabeth that extra nudge into social life, while Annabeth kept Jess grounded.

"Sure," Annabeth replied lightly. She convinced herself that the fun of a party would distract her. Jess grabbed her hand and and led her to the bathroom. "Come on, I'll do your makeup!"

* * *

"Okay,now open your eyes." Annabeth looked into the mirror and gasped. She blinked, feeling the weight of fake eyelashes. The makeup made her look older, her features more defined. Annabeth puckered her lips, almost grimacing when she felt the stickiness of lip gloss. "Wow…I look—"

"Hot!" Jess said.

Annabeth looked down, self-consciously running her fingers along the hem of the form-fitting dress Jess let her borrow. _Ugh, I can't move in this. Would if I have to fight?_ she thought. On the way out, Annabeth grabbed the holster for her dagger and slipped it onto her thigh. Percy had given her the magical holster before she left for college "Just in case". Relief washed through her as it disappeared seamlessly under the tight dress.

A short cab ride later they were standing in line for a club downtown. The steady thrum of music coming from the inside, coupled with Jess' bubbly conversation lifted her mood considerably. That is, until she saw Ro. Even though it was dark, his unmistakable golden hair and domineering stature gave him away. Annabeth watched him walk through the crowd outside of the club and slip into a seedy bar next door. She uttered something noncommittal to Jess, and began to head toward the bar.

The dive bar was surprisingly full, and soon Annabeth founder herself being bumped around to the beat of some generic 80's rock ballad. She scanned the crowd, careful not to appear conspicuous. She navigated leaning bar stools, steel-toed boots and sideway glances, all while grumbling in disbelief that Ro had vanished just as quickly as he'd appeared.

Her heart leapt into her throat when she felt a strong hand close around her arm and yank her around a corner. She swiftly reached for her dagger but froze when a forked tongue lapped at her cheek and claws black as beetle husks dug into her other arm. She met the eyes of a serpentine man, his face a sickly green pallor. Annabeth blinked, noticing the scales rippling underneath the skin. He hissed,"What's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?" Annabeth struggled, but his claws only dug deeper into her arms. Soon she felt a warm liquid begin to run down the length of her arm and drip on her heels. Blood.

"Hey, hands off." A familiar voice growled.

They both turned to see Ro. He stood dark and beautiful, his shoulders square, knees slightly bent. Annabeth would have complimented his fighting stance if she weren't being accosted by a snake man.

The monster replied, "You know the rules, anything that wanders in here is fair game"

Ro said dangerously, "There's an exception to every rule." They both glanced down to seem him holding a switchblade. Neither noticed when he'd drawn it, only that it held the unnatural glow characteristic of Celestial bronze. The serpentine man's thin lips spread into a pointed sneer. He spat, releasing Annabeth and backing away, "Just like Annalise's goons to expect everyone to follow their laws except their own. You'll get what's coming to you, half-blood."

As soon as he was gone, Ro pulled her close and said quietly in her ear, "You need to get out of here." She pulled away from his grasp and faced him.

"Not until I get answers." It was a bold move, considering that more monsters would be attracted to the bar by the smell of her wounds. There were things she had to know that were rooting her here. _To him_. Annabeth felt a pang of want and pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

At that, Ro stepped back and said carefully, "Look around you Annabeth. Look closely, but not too close" She glanced over his shoulder and saw the mist ripple around the bar patrons, briefly revealing them for what they were. A cyclops behind the bar cleaned glasses with a rag. Empusa chattered and laughed while sipping martinis. Anxiety crept into her bones as she realized they were vastly outnumbered. She peered up at Ro, who was eyeing her intently.

"They can't smell you as strongly anymore. I'm masking your scent" he said, wrapping an arm protectively around her waist. Annabeth was itching to ask how a demigod could mask another's scent, but Ro was already ushering her to the door. Once they were outside he let her go and kept walking. He slowed to a stop and glanced back expectantly once he realized Annabeth wasn't following.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

Ro casually replied, "Didn't you say you wanted answers?"


	5. Chapter 5

Ro let his feet lead them back to his town home,which was only a few blocks away from Bell and Dragon. Ro thought back to the bar; the warmth of the whisky was just beginning to spread in his chest and he felt the tension easing out of him. He quickly sobered up once he saw her. She was wearing a tight black dress that brought out curves he'd never noticed. Her light hair curled gracefully to her shoulders and striking gray eyes flitted all over the room. Gods, she was dressed to kill. Fresh rage bubbled up when he saw that scaly bastard grab her.

When they reached the house he tossed his keys on the side table that sat by the door.

"Make yourself at home, I'm going to get something to clean your cuts," he said, and disappeared into the kitchen. When he returned with a first aid kit, Annabeth sat on the couch clutching her arm gingerly.

He sat next to Annabeth and gently began to dress the puncture wounds left by the monster at Bell and Dragon. That sat in silence, until Annabeth finally spoke.

"Back at the bar…you said you were…'masking me'. How?"

Ro answered, "My blood doesn't carry the same scent as yours."

Annabeth turned to face him. "So are you saying that you're not a half blood?"

"No, just different."

Annabeth didn't respond; she was obviously expecting him to elaborate. Ro finished wrapping her arm with gauze and looked up.

"I _am_ a half-blood, just not half human and half god like you are." For some reason Ro was struggling for sucked in a breath and continued. "My mother was human,my father an incubus. That's a—"

"Demon." Annabeth finished.

Silence again. Ro didn't think he could hear either one of them breathing. He laughed drily in an effort to ease the tension.

"Aren't you going to ask me If Celestial Bronze will turn me to dust? Or If I'll sprout horns and a pointy tail?"

Annabeth shook her head. "I want to know how you did the mind thing."

Ah. The mind thing. Cambion tended to specialize in magic focused on physical, emotional and mental manipulation. It was how they were conceived, after all. Ro just so happened to be particularly gifted at the latter.

"Yeah,uh sorry about that," Ro said, idly rubbing the spot where he'd been slapped earlier. Annabeth grinned."I inherited that from my father, just like you would inherit gifts from your godly parent."

He noticed that he and Annabeth sat closer now, and she was staring at the single bead that hung from his necklace again. Rubbing his thumb over the intricate design he asked, his voice low,"Can you tell me about camp?"

Annabeth smiled, "Of course."

She spoke of Chiron, capture the flag, nights around the bonfire. She described the way the aroma of strawberries wafted through the air in the summertime, the dinners spent with brothers and sisters in the dining pavilion, and the exact moment in which she was claimed by her mother, Athena. She even explained the significance of each of the beads that was strung on the leather string around her neck, and how the camp had grown exponentially since more and more demigods were being claimed.

"Funny that we never met," she said.

"I wasn't the stud I am now," he replied, winking at her,"You probably wouldn't have batted an eye at me."

Suddenly Annabeth's phone buzzed. she pulled it out and cursed under her breath.

"Seven missed calls from my roommate! I should get going."

Ro stood and said, "I should walk you back. I'd hate for something to happen again."

"Fine," Annabeth turned and slowly pulled up the edge of her dress, revealing a sizable dagger."But just so you know, I'm no damsel in distress."

He laughed deeply and replied, "And I'm no knight in shining armour."

* * *

The walk back with Ro was actually pleasant. They talked easily back and forth about favorite foods, movies, books. Ro explained his love of black licorice, James Joyce and cheesy buddy cop movies. Annabeth was reminded of a candy shop on Main she used to go to with her father and noted that she and Ro should make the trip.

"James Joyce, huh? Wasn't that guy a bit…lecherous?"

Ro rolled his eyes,"Other than being a total horn-dog, he was one of the most influential poets of the 20th century."

Annabeth laughed and he bumped her playfully. They stopped in front of her apartment door.

"I still have so many more questions Ronan," she blurted. Ro raised his eyebrows at the use of his full name and replied lightly, "Guess I'll have to answer them over coffee." His response was so casual but Annabeth felt the intention behind them. She immediately thought of Percy and felt a surge of guilt. However, Ro's constant flirtation was mostly playful and rarely-if ever— reciprocated. What harm could come from coffee? Annabeth frowned a little. No matter how she tried to justify herself, she couldn't ignore one glaring fact: She liked him.

"Sure," she agreed, opening her door.

She smelled the blood before she saw it.


End file.
